Improvement in wood pavements



PATENT OFFICE.

\ WILLIAM E. SHAW, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WOOD PAVEMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,212, dated July 18, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. SHAW, of Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented an Improved W'ood Pavement; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section, Fig. 2 a plan, and Figs. 3 and 4 perspective views of a single block.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanyin g drawing indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to provide for public use an improved wood pavement, the blocks of which are so formed that when properly laid they look each other down, and, at the same time, prevent each other from moving laterally. To this end the invention consists: 1st, in constructing the blocks in such a shape that their sides, or any longitudinal vertical section, will be lozenge-shaped, as clearly shown at a a a, a in the sectional View, Fig. 1, while their top or bottom, or any horizontal section, will be represented by the six-sided figure o c c c c c, Fig. 2; and 2d, in arranging said blocks so as to lock each other firmly in place, and filling the intermediate spaces with tar and sand, concrete, artificial asphalt, or other suitable substance, for the purpose as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, A represents the foundation, which may be of sand, planks, or any other substance in common use for such purpose and B B are the paving-blocks, each being formed with horizontal upper and under surface and parallel vertical sides. The ends of each block, how ever, are inclined, although parallel to each other, as shown by Fig. 1; and one end is wedge-shaped while the other is grooved or recessed to correspond, as shown by Fig. 2.

The blocks are laid in rows across the street, with one end of each running under the adjacent block in the same row, whereby it is locked firmly down. At the same time the wedgeshaped extremity projects into the recess in the end of the adjacent block and prevents either of them from working laterally. Theblocks are thus doubly locked in place, forming a firm and durable pavement, which is not liable to get out of order by reason of heavy carriages passing over it, nor by the operation of the frost and ice in winter. The blocks forming one row break joint with those of the adjacent rows.

If laid on sand, as I prefer to do, they will be kept dry by the sand, and will remain sound for years. I prefer, as a general thing, to treat them by an improved ironizing or wood-preserving process before they are laid, so that the little liability there is to decay Will be counteracted. They are very easily and cheaply constructed, and are laid without difiiculty and with great rapidity.

If necessary, any block or any number of blocks can be removed without disturbing the rest-a matter of great importance in cities where repairs to gas and water-pipes necessitate the frequent disturbance of some part of the pavement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The wood pavement herein described, consisting of the lozenge-shaped'blocks B B, locked together by means of alternate wedge-shaped and recessed ends, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

' WM. E. SHAW.

Witnesses A. G. RAWLINGS, N. K. ELLSWORTH. 

